Examining the role of television programmes in legitimising inherited wealth and privilege for the super-rich in a society that values meritocracy

Figures & data

Table

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

N: C:

Watching tonight’s show is Cuppy’s dad, Femi Otedola. I just want to go on stage as DJ Cuppy, but, of course, the fact that people feel like, “Why is she DJing?” or, “oh, you know, this DJ is blah-blah’s daughter.” It is annoying but I don’t think it hurts me any anymore, because I love what I do. I just worry that I’m not going to make this impact I want to make (.) or I’m scared of (.3) I’m scared of always being Femi Otedola’s daughter. Like not getting sort of past that, that’s like a fear of mine. And, for me, that means not being successful enough (.) too cos I can be successful, but, you know, let’s be honest, at the moment, I’m still, you know, a little bit masked by my dad's success. If I didn't try and make it outside Nigeria, I would be unhappy.

Table

1.	C:	I’m really optimistic, actually. I think that I’m a great DJ. I
2.		think that’s what it comes to. And I’ve already been asked
3.		back to one of the clubs. Um, you know, networking comes
4.		into it but, actually, you know, if I don’t play well, I wouldn’t
5.		get asked back no matter who I know and whose daughter I
6.		am. Actually, it’s a good feeling, it is a fair, fair chance.

Table

1.	EH:	Tell us about your experiences as (.) a very rich, privileged (.)
2.		playboy. How good is it?
3.	VC:	It’s very flirtatious, it’s very er (.) you know, attractive, and it
4.		just falls upon you. I think if you ask anyone who’s gone
5.		through it, they’ll also tell you that there’s another side to it, a
6.		darker side.
7.	RL:	And did it have a dark side for you?
8.	VC:	I would work hard, play even harder (h). At the end, you kind
9.		of settle into what you think is a more realistic lifestyle for you.

Table

1.	N:	Tim and Dor are discovering that not all rich kids are alike.
2.	D:	I’ll tell you the truth. I am not wealthy at all. I’m working very
3.		hard, I have my business, I started from nothing. I’m getting
4.		somewhere, it’s starting. Starting to feel it. But I’m not
5.		wealthy. Not yet. I live a good life, I work hard to play, to play
6.		but I work harder than I play. So yeah, it is family money. I’m
7.		working for it, right?
8.	T:	Right. Apparently, according to my followers, I don’t work.
9.		((alone)) I’m just like a best-dressed homeless person (h) I don’t
10.		know.

Table

1.	N:	There’s only one thing that Brian loves more than Bunny.
2.	B:	The love for champagne within us is just insane. It’s very classy and
3.		glam to have always a glass in your hand (h) (.4) ((Footage of Bryan
4.		and Bunny drinking from a champagne bottle)) Well, we had about
5.	UP:	Eighteen
6.	B:	Eighteen
7.	BF:	We love it now.
8.	B:	Eighteen bottles of champagne. We had maybe 12 of Veuve Clicquot and we had the rest of Dom Perignon
9.
10.	BF:	Yes
11.	B:	Plus, the six Litres of Belvedere. I’m very blessed [to have the]
12.	BF:	[I know.]
13.	B:	wealth that I have and I love to share it to share it with the people
14.		that I love the most. The only thing that bothers me the most is when
15.		people just see me without knowing to get me. They think, ‘Oh, this
16.		arrogant kid, [stupid kid]
17.	BF:	[Baby, baby,] baby, listen
18.	B:	But then [they get to know me]
19.	BF:	[These are haters]
20.	B:	No.
21.	BF:	These are haters

Table

(.)	Micro pause
(.2)	A longer pause measured in tenths of a second
(h)	Laughter
(unknown)	Audio indecipherable or unclear
((context))	Contextual information such as speaker actions, footage on screen or use of camera angles
[interrupt]	Speakers talk overlaps
italics	Voiceover or narration where speaker is not present on screen*

Taken from Jefferson (2004) except for notation*.